Community leaders, advocates and public officials of all political persuasions have time and time again urged our residents to get out and vote in elections, because their votes matter.

When we knock on someone’s door or call them urging them to vote, we remind them how their voices must be heard so we can change things for the better. We tell them that elections are one of the most important ways to participate. "One person, one vote" is fundamental to making sure that our democracy works.

This core value is threatened when a third of precincts in a recount cannot be considered in the effort to make sure we have accurate election results.

In the recent recount of the Detroit City Clerk race, 33 precincts were unrecountable. That equates to more than 7,000 votes not being able to be verified for accuracy. This is absolutely unacceptable. In the overwhelming majority of these precincts, the precincts could not be recounted because the number of ballots indicated on the box did not match the actual count of ballots within the box. In many of these cases, the numbers were only off by fewer than 10 ballots.

Michigan law currently says that if the number of ballots in the box to be recounted and the number of ballots indicated on the poll list as being issued on Election Day do not match, those ballots shall not be recounted.

Both Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey,and Garlin Gilchrist II, her recent challenger, agree that Michigan’s recount law needs to be changed. Earlier this year, I introduced House Bill 4161, which would ensure that every precinct requested for a recount be counted — no exceptions.

Michigan voters deserve to know with certainty that our votes truly mattered. Whether we’re talking about a presidential election, city clerk or city council election, the margins of victory can only be trusted if we know that a recount will bring greater accuracy and confidence in the election results. The opposite of this is our current reality, and that needs to change.

The Michigan House of Representatives should take up House Bill 4161 and fix our outdated recount law. It’s time to make this change so that voters from all political parties and backgrounds can have greater certainty about our election results and so that we can better uphold our core democratic values.

Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), represents the 6th District in the Michigan House of Representatives.